1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to medical devices and, more particularly, to energy-outputting tissue treatment devices.
2. Description of Related Art
A variety of laser systems have existed in the prior art. Solid state lasers can be advantageous in that they are compact, reliable for long-term use and easily replaced in the field. A solid-state laser system generally comprises a gain medium (e.g., laser rod) for emitting coherent light and a stimulation source for stimulating the gain medium to emit the coherent light. The gain medium in a solid state laser is a solid material usually having the form of a cylindrical rod. Flashlamps are typically used as stimulation sources, for example, but diodes may be used as well for the excitation source. The use of diodes for generating light amplification by stimulated emission is discussed in the book Solid-State Laser Engineering, Fourth Extensively Revised and Updated Edition, by Walter Koechner, published in 1996, the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.
A typical conventional laser assembly may comprise a housing containing a laser module, which is connected by way of an optical connector to a trunk fiber. The optical connector can be constructed to facilitate attachment and removal of the trunk fiber to and from the housing, with the trunk fiber extending from the housing up to and through a handpiece. Furthermore, the trunk fiber can continue in an uninterrupted fashion from the handpiece and terminate at an energy output end of the trunk fiber.